Conveying means and method



M3, 1931. T NYE CONVEYING MEANS AND METHOD Filed Aug. 16, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l Ihventor TheodoRe H. Nye. By

Attorn March 3, 1 931. 1,795,137

CONVEYING MEANS AND METHOD Filed Aug. 16, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Theodonz H. Nye.

By ayzw z March 3, 1931. T. H. NYE 1,795,137

CONVEYING MEANS AND METHOD Filed Aug. 16, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor Theodorze H. Nye.

Attorney Patented Mar. 3, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE THEODORE H. NYE, OF WORCESTER, .MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB TO MORGAN CON- STRUCTION COMPANY, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION 01 MASSACHUSETTS CONVEYING MEANS AND METH OD Application filed August 18, 1928. Serial No. 300,095.

The invention relates to conveying, as exemplified by the use of a series of substantially alined rotatable rollers for the support and movement ofvariouskinds of articles or ma terials, especiallyin more or less'elongated pieces, such as lumber, orthe various rolled products of a steel mill.

The invention involves a radically new principle in the conveying of material on rollers, as brought into play-by the special construction and arrangement of the roller units that constitute the roller conveyor; through the operation thereof, new and valuable re sults are obtained in the mechanical forwarding, handling and disposal of the conveyed pieces or. materials, by way of-procuring,normally, the centralization of the same on the conveyor rollers, while at the same time 7 aflording opportunity, whenever desired, of

securing sidewise movement, for broadside discharge from the conveyor in eitherdirection, in the absence of anythrustor deflection applied to thesides of said material. I

. The several features, advantages and char- 5 acteristics of the inventionare set forthmore fully hereinafter, reference being had for an illustration of the same to the accompanying drawings, in which a r p 1 Fig. lis a detached view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of a roller unit embodying the invention, and adapted for use, for example, in the conveyorassemblages illustrated by Figs. 2, 3' and 4:.

Fig. 2 is a top planview, somewhat diaf grammatic in character, showing a plurality of such roller units as assembled to form a conveyor.

Figs. .3 and 4 are views similar to Fig. 2,

' illustrating different positions into which the roller units are movable, to secure the broad side discharge of the conveyed material, in one direction or the other. 1

Figs. 5 and 6 are detached views of roller u units embodying the invention, illustrating modifications of the driving devices therefor.

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are top plan views, illustrating roller unit arrangements involving modifications from the arrangements of Figs.

. n land 2.

Figs. 10 and 11 are views similar toFigs. 5

and 6, illustratingfurther variationsin the driving devices for roller units embodying the inventlon. i A

Fig. 12 is aside View, illustrating a belt drive for an assemblage of such roller units. Fig. 13 is a sectional view on the line 13-'13 of Flg. 12.

Fig. 14 is a top plan view, somewhat diagrammatic, in character, illustratin' roller units embodying the invention in 'a ifferent assemblage, for a specialpurpose. Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures.

Referring first to Fig. 2, the roller conveyor therein shown consists of a series of alined roller units, each unit comprising a pair of frusto-conical rollers 1, 2 arranged with their sections of larger diameter sub stantially end to end. As shown in Fig. 1, the two rollers 1, 2 of each unit are so mounted as to dispose their peripl1eral stock supporting portions in a common substantially horizontal plane, therespective axesof said rollers for this purpose being tipped upwardly from the point 3 which represents the intersection of said axes. Furthermore, as best shown in Fig. 2, said axes, instead of beingat right angles to the normal direction of travel of stock on the conveyor (as illustrated by the arrow A, Fig. 2) have a slight.

forward inclination in the direction of arrow A; in other words, said axes are so skewed with reference to the center line 4 of the conveyor, as to cause the rollers 1 and 2 of each pair to work together, in maintaining the conveyed material substantially on said centerline.

With said-axes so skewed forwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, it is apparent that the tendency of the rollers 1, 1 of the several units, in conveying stock forward in the direction of the arrow A, is to urge said stock sidewise.

toward said center line 4, and that an op posite sidewise urge toward said center line 4 isproduced by the oppositely skewed rollers 2, 2 of the several units. The net result, of course, is that these opposing sidewise tendencies will neutralize each other, in consequence of which any stock travelling longitudinally on the several roller units will autoofthetroller' portions 1;and.2 of: the several 1 position; if said stock, from any cause whatsoever,-is diverted in whole or in part from said centralized position, to one side or the other thereof, the skewed rollers 1, 1 or 2, 2 as the-case maybe, operate immediately to restorethealin-ement'; This maintenance of the stock on the center line of the conveyor. isaccomplished in the entire. absence. of. any

side guides or tl1e.like,'or of.iia1.1y elementsor parts brought either frictionally or forcibly into sidewise contact: with the. stock for the purpose of correcting or maintaining the latters alin-ement; the action.. by which. the centralized position is maintained is wholly aif'unction of the roller: units: themselves due tos-the: opposite 5 skew-ingfofrtheir; cooperative opposed portions 1 and 2. p f Y f Each; of? th QHI'OHQ/l units ofrthe conveyor shown in 1 Fig.1 2-:may'nbe of the construction depictedrin Fig; l, whereon 'istshown also the sub-structure of theconveyor, inithewferm ofj'a pair of'beams 5, .deXtendingalongitudinallyzof; the-conveyor; for the supportaof' the several units, all. of. which, as here; shown,

may be driven-from :a: common longitudinal.- ly=eectending:" drive. shaft: 6' underlying: said beams. Each unitv comprises'a. stationary base member? thatabridges said beams 5', 5 andvthat'a provides suitable-bearings for a ver tioal .shaftJS Whose lower. end-carriesa5 bevel gear 91in" mesh with-a similar gearilOTon-the common drive shaft 6; superposed onithe base i member 7 f is a hub 11: formed one the: rollers-carrier 12. ofi'the unit; said hub: surroundingaaind'. being "free' to 'turn with relation-to the uppers end. of the .verticalishaft' 8;:

Said-iroller-carrier'12, above. said: hllbilll, pro-f v'i'des-oppositelateral parts or extensions- 13.

and-14', the former providing; a suitable'bean" ing: 15 ofthe requisite" inclination and: skew for" the shaft" 16'..of. roller. 1,. and the latter providing a similar hearing 17' fortl'ie shaft 18 0f roller-2,-e-it'being'understood that-the [aaeeseofi said' 'sliafts 16 1l1'(l.='118" have; in each instance,- theqforwvardly skewed. relatimwas representedby the. lines 16 'an'd'18". on Fig: 2..

' htiits extreme upper end, .above'the hub-11 and within the. hollow interiori Of; the; rel-ler carrier 12,: the shaft 8: carries a bevel-pinion V l9.'-,-.with=which meshes-a bevel gear 20 on the upwardly inclined and forwardly skewedshaft .18; in this way, rotation is; imparted toithe' rollenportion 2: ofeach unitflna clock 'shaftilfi, which has the samenumberiofteeth wise-- direction, looking towards the-' center, line 4. in- Fig. 2 or as viewed" from. theleft,

"Eigv. 1i. Similarrotation, intheu same d-i-' 'rection and at thesame speed, is imparted to thet rol-ler'l ofeachunit, through the-medrumiof a bevel gear- 21: on-th'e. innerv end: of

aszand'ris in constant mesh with bevel gear 20 o1r'shaft'18. The above described mechanism represents one method-f securing the drive conveyor units; other alternative methods are available, as for instance, the methods shown in subsequent figures of the drawings herein, as hereinafter described.

Projecting from each hub 11 of the several roller-carriers 12' is anarm 22, all-10f said arms heingnconnected. by. a. longitudinally extending bar 23, which maybe made shiftable back and forth to procure oscillation in unison of the several huh-portions 11 about the vertical axes "of their" respective shafts 8,8. In this way, the several conveyor-units are-'made susceptible to various dispositions oftheir axiallines l6 and 18' with reference tothe center line 4; of 'the conveyor, without varying, however, the. constantiangle between lines,- represented at. X, .F1g:g2;1 v The utility. of; this angular displacement, as in);

- parted in; unison to aplurality of is outer ends of the. roller? portions; 2, 2 .a.capa;'-

hility of operation whiohis particularly useful in i the handling, for instance, of rolling mill products, where at-a given-pointinthe forward; movement. of. the. rolled. material on. the runou-t= from. a-milh it is, desired to reduce. the; forwardispeedr-as arr-incident to broadside; discharge. from the. conveyor roller; Eig;;4.is a-diagrammatic showing siin ilar to- Eigj, :3, of. the conveyor. with its. several unitssvvung simultaneously counterclockwise l a. condition under. which. both roller portions 1. and/:2. of. each, unit contributetocbroadSide. movement of the stock toward: the-.smallerends of, the roller portionsl, lfithe stQC-k,..0f. course, in: this instance being again subjectedtoa gradual decrease of its forward spleed,"due to the de- Greasing". diameter, of said rollerportions l towardtheir outerends- 111. order: to. preserve. the continuity offsurface at. thesupporting portions ofthe rollers-1..and2,.3\1herc they meetatthe centerlineof the conveyor, it; may he. desirable. to form said rollers, on their nner circumferential edg s withinterengaging teeth and projections 24, 2.4;, as shown in; Fig... 1.

The-nvention is s nsceptibleto modification and variationover a. wide rangaxas .to the makeaup; of the. conveyor. roller. units; their arrangementin the coriveyonandthe driving devices therefon and a few examples; of such :modifications. andvariations will. now beireferred to. vForexample, in. Fig; :7 l have; shown annit consisting, substantially the same as-in Fig; 2, of-opposed frusto conicalrollers l? and 2', with; their. axes-so forwardly skewed'with reference'to the center L le: of th conveyoras to counteract: or

neutraliz'e'each other in the normal position illustrated, in respect of lateral deflection tendencies upon theconveyed material, thereby operating the same as the units shown in Fig. 1 to automatically centralize the material on the conveyor. However, said rollers 1 and2 of the unit shown in Fig. 7 are longitudinally offset, one from the other, so that their inner peripheral portions only overlap a relatively slight distance along the center line; this arrangement gives opportunity for the separate drive of each roller shaft from, for instance, an. electricmotor, or other individual driving device 25,-the two driving devices and the two rollers being carried on 'a common base or support 26 which is adapted to swing 'pivotally 011 a vertical axis, indicated at 27, thereby to secure, when desired, sidewise movement of the stock in either direction, according to the methods illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. It is also apparent that the invention is not limited in any sense to the use of frusto-conical rollers, for as shown in Fig. 8, the longitudinally offset arrangement of the two rollers that constitute a unit, of the conveyor can as well be applied to cylindrical rollers. Such rollers designated 28 and 29, with their axes skewed forwardly in normal position, relative to the center line 4 of the conveyor, may have individual motor drives, if desired, as indicated at 30, 30. In this conveyor construction, the motors30, 30 and the rollers 28 and 29 of each unit may be mounted on a common base or support 31, that is adapted to be swung on a vertical axis, as indicated at 32, to obtain, when desired, sidewise movement of the conveyed material on the rollers in either direction. With this type of cylindrical roller, the deceleration of the stock, as moved broadside across the surface of the rollers 28 or 29, as the case may be, is not obtained, for the reason that said rollers are of uniform diameter throughout.

A further modification of the invention is shown in Fig. 9, involving a series of forwardly skewed individually mounted cylindrical rollers 37, 37 on one side of the center line, alternating with a 'second series of rollers 38,38 onf'the other side of said center line,each ofsaid rollers in the two series being pivoted to swing on a substantially 7 vertical axis, as indicated'at 39, 39'. When said rollers occupy the positions indicated in Fig. 9', they serve for the movement of stock thereon in the direction ofarrow A, and it will be'understood'that the tendency under these conditions, is to maintain the stock sub stantially in thecenter line of the conveyor, due to the 'forward skewing of the roller axes as above described. Vhen one set or series of said rollers 37 or 38 as the case may be is swung in unison soas to obviate its forward axial skew, the conveyed material is at once shiftedbroadside from the center line ontothe set of rollers so swung, to be discharged broadside from the outer ends of the latter if the axial swinging is carried far enough to skew said rollers rearwardly. On the other hand, if said rollers 37 and 38 occupy the positions indicated by the axial lines 37 and 38, the forward travel of the material on the conveyor is in the directionindicated by the arrow A and under these conditions said material, in the normal positions of the rollers is maintained substantially in the center line as before; axial shifting of one or the other of these sets of rollers, obtains, as before the broadside movement of said material from the center line onto the set of rollers so shifted, with the possibility of its broadsidedischarge therefrom if the angular movement is suflicient to skew the roller axes rearwardly. Thus in a conveyor of the type shown in Fig. 9, where the several rollers on opposite sides of the center line are independently mounted and subjected to independent angular movements, the action is completely reversible and enables the conveyor to serve for the longitudinal movement of stock in either direction, as the bars 33 and 34 are set.

For the drive of opposed frusto-conical rollers, such as shown at land 2, in Fig. 1, a variety of different arrangements can be adopted. For instance, Fig. 5 shows a roller-carrier 40, pivoted 'on a vertical axis, similarly to the roller-carrier 12 of Fig. 1, said carrier 40 providing suitable bearings, not shown, for the mounting of the skewed and upwardly tilted roller shafts 16 and 18. The latter carrythe respective bevel gears 41 and 42, the former in mesh with a bevel gear 43 and the latterin mesh with a bevel gear 44. Said last-mentioned bevel gears 43 and 44 are mounted on opposite shaft extensions of a commondriving motor 45 disposed interiorly of the pivoted roller-carrier 40. In

.Fig. 6, the drive arrangement is the same as in 1, except that the vertical shaft 8' of the rollerunit takes its drive from an electric motor 45, disposed vertically.

1,the two rollers thereby being driven in the same direction and at the same speed. In the arrangement of Fig. 11, the vertical shaft 8 has a pair of opposing bevel gears 50 and 51, more widely spaced'than the gears 46 and 48 of Fig. 10, this permitting the reception, without interference between them, of the oppositely inclined gears 52 and 53 of the frusto-conical rollers 1 and 2.

Referring now to Figs. 12 and 13, a'conveyor assemblage wherein belt-driven roller units; areemployed; is illustratei two of; such units-flannel: 55 :for purposes; QfiIlustration, being, shown, with the shafts of their;

respective rollers lifiand 5.7 carrying adj acent. ll '01" heaves 58, 58.- A single, endless. belt 5.); wide .enoughltoimake driving contact with: both? pulleys 58, 58' is driven by a suit a.b1e-, motor:-6Oa11;d guided: by l the several sheaves-61, 61'', so asto drive. all t the rollers. of. thesevera-lumts 111111111801 1 Each unit; has,

theihub -11 of: its-.-rol-lercarri-er mounted on. rig-(vertical axis: provided by a post. or column 62', whereby the: several un-its may swung together-by" a bar: 23 in. either direction, for, the: selective broadside. dischargeof the con-- veyed material in. themanner shown by Figs.

- alandn the flexible drivingbelt 59- permit-- tinmxoffeourse, the necessary shifting; of the pulleys-5.8; 58., .1 v v r Fig; 14: illustrates V a further special use of the-v inwcntion, asz-applied particularly to the longitudinalmovement of elongated material thatriis bendable laterally inone direction 0 the-other from the line ofits forwardtra-v- 7 wardly 'with referenceto the center line 71, I

71",-+then the flexible material, asshown at? 75 is deflected onto; the branch conveyor 7 2, boingre-ntralizedthereom-if-desired, using for" the; rollers of said; branch conveyor a;

pl nralityof; alinedlrolleriunits 76', '76 of the same double frustocconical' "construction as contemplatedby thezinvention. Shiftingjof the roller units "7 0,: into; the dotted line positions illustrated in Fig. 16,.so that the-axes.

of the rolleri'poi-tions 77', 77 are, tipped backdeilectsith e: material onto the branch conveyor 78-, which, as herein shown, may be made up, I hkethebranch conveyor-72,, of self-centralize ing rollerr units 78, 78.: 7

' tr -is tabs-notedthat-the invention prorides arolilerconveyorwhich, in respect of- V confining thefpath of? the conveyed material torthe center linc, liaszthe same elfect: as that produced by grooving'the rollers, :orrlby ar. rang ng longitudinal -gu1'd1ng surfaces on each side of the center-line to contact; with the sides of the conveyed materiahin the event ofits deviation from a straight: path.

This effect is obtained, according to the-inventiomon rollers havlngrflat supporting: surfaces, and'inthe entire-absence of: anyre straint uponorcontact with the side edges ofxthe conveyedmateriah a factor which makes possible, whenever desired, the materials broadside movementin eitherdirection on the conveyorwhichf is not possible, of course, when said material'travels on grooved rollers or is'restrained by side guides,

I'claim: l. A, roller conveyor embodying on each side of .its'center-line a series of rollers, the, axes-of which are normally forwardly skewed withreferenceto said centenline for the centralization of the conveyed material thereon, andm-eans: for shiftingsaid roller,

axes in :unison to broadside said material in either direction. 1 v

' 2., In a conveyor, a roller unitproviding" axially-opposed and oppositely-tapered roller portions on opposite sides of the con veyorscenter-line, the axisof each portion being normally forwardly skewed with reference tosaid center-line to proc'urecentrali- Zation of the conveyed nrateriahand means. for changing the normal=pos1t1on of either axis, to obtainbroadslding of sald materlal 1n.

either direction:

3. A series. of rollers for the support and longitudinal movement" of material, said rollers havingtheiraxes so skewed with reference to the line of movement of said materialas normallyto oppose each others tendencies for broadside movement of said material away from said line and means for:shifting said axes-in unison to procure broadside movement of said'material in either direction, p

4 A series of rollers constituting, a conveyor for-the supportand movement-of material along the center-line of'said conveyor,

saidrollers having their axes so skewed' with reference to said-'center-line' asjnormally to produce substantially oppositetbroadsideeffects: on said material, thereby maintaining it substantiallyon said center-line andi neans for shiftingsaid axes in unison to. obtain broadside movement of said material in either direction. V I 5. Ina rollerconveyoiya pair of juxtaposed rollers one on either side of a vertical plane, each roller beingskewed inwardly so as normally to carry "the conveyed and sup for simultaneously shifting saidrollers in unison, to obtainmovementlof said'material in, either direction away from said plane.

6. Ina roller conveyor, a pair of juxtaposed rollers placed end to end, onejon either side of the center line oflsaidconv'e'yor, each rolleribeing skewed inwardly so as normally to carry the conveyed material toward said center line and meansfor shifting'said rollers in unison to'carr'y said material away from said center line in either: direction.

7. In a roller conveyor, two series of rollerslarrangedin tandem on opposite sides'of ported material toward; said plane and means 7 the center-line of the conveyor, with the axis of each roller normally at an angle of more than ninety degrees from said center-line, measured on the side from which the conveyed material is received and means for simultaneously decreasing said angle for the axes of one series of rollers and increasing it for the axes of the other series of rollers, thereby to procure broadsiding movement of the conveyed material in either direction away from said center line.

8. Conveying means of the class described, comprising alined roller units for the support and longitudinal movement of material thereon, each unit consisting of a pair of axially-opposed roller portions having opposite broadside eifects on the material being forwarded, whereby normally to secure its forward travel without broadside deviation, and means for shifting said units, to procure the same broadside eifects from both roller portions, thereby to move the material diagonally in either direction away from such center line.

9. In a conveyor, a roller unit providing a pair'of axially-opposed roller portions on opposite sides of the conveyors center-line, with the axes of both portions normally skewed forwardly, to produce equal and opposite broadside tendencies operating to hold the conveyed material against deviation from said center-line, and means for reversing at will the skew of said axes, thereby to procure broadside movement of the material in either direction away from said center line as its longitudinal movement continues.

10. Conveying means of the class described, comprising a series ofroller units, each composed of a' pair of-rollers having their axes oppositely skewed, whereby normally to centralize the conveyed material thereon, and a mounting for each unit permitting the latter to be swung on an axis substantially perpendicular to the skewed roller axes, thereby to procure broadsiding of the conveyed material and its discharge from one side or the other of said conveying means.

11. Conveying means of the class described, comprising a series of driven roller units arranged in substantial alinement and each constituted by a pair of rollers in substantially end-to-end relation, with their axes oppo- V sitely skewed so as normally to centralize the conveyed material on said conveying'means,

and means forshifting said units, to reverse a the skew of corresponding rollers thereof,

thereby to procure broadsiding of the conveyed material and its discharge from one side or the other of said conveying means.

12. Conveying means of the class described, comprising a series of roller units, each consisting of a pair of axially intersecting rollers Whose axes are oppositely skewed so as normally to centralize the conveyed material on said conveying means, and means for shifting each of said units about an axis passing through the intersection of its roller axes, to procure broadside dischar e of the conveyed material from either si e of said conveying means. 7

13. Conveying means of the class described, comprising a series of roller units, each consisting of a pair of axially-intersecting rollers whose axes are oppositely skewed so as normally to centralize the conveyed material on said conveying means, a common drive shaft gearedto each of said rollers, and means for shifting each of said units about the axis of said drive shaft, to procure broadside discharge of the conveyed material from either side of said conveying means.

THEODORE H. NYE. 

